When Lightning Strikes
by kawaiia
Summary: Lili has everything a 15 year old girl could possibly want, but when she is bitten by an unknown vampire, she enters a world where real and make believe go hand in hand. better than it sounds,i'm bad at summaries, please read and review! thanks!
1. Chapter 1

A.N.

Dear Readers, if there are any, this is my very first chapter of my very first story on fanfiction and I know it's really pointless right now, but I promise it will get better. I'm not really the best writer in the world, so constructive critisism would be great... Thanks for reading, please review!

Kawaiia

**Chapter 1**

"Ouch," I murmured to myself. I snatched the curling iron away from my finger and examined the damage; just a small burn, nothing serious.

I resumed curling my hair, thinking to myself. Tonight was the night I had been waiting for ever since I started high school last fall, the Homecoming Dance. It was for the freshmen and sophomores. Juniors and seniors had prom. Even though I was just a freshman and didn't even have a boyfriend, I knew that tonight could boost my already skyrocketing social status among the upper classmen. I know how crazy that sounds, you know, meeting true love in the middle of the dance floore, underneath the swirling disco ball... but I'm a TOTAL romantic, so I truly believe in that kind of thing, fate, karma, whatever you want to call it.

I finished curling my hair, which was usually dead straight, and went down to the middle of my back, but now it curled softly at the ends, making it shorter than I was used to.

I pulled some of the hair framing my face back, twisted it into a bun, and stuck a white chopstick with rhinestones on it through to hold it in place. I didn't want to have to keep brushing my hair away from my face while I was dancing.

I sighed and figured that was the best I could do. Then I went to the closet and pulled out my dress. It was a traditional Chinese qipao that my grandmother brought from China when she immigrated to America. It was white silk with small blue flowers decorating it. It was sleeveless, but had a small collar. It fit perfectly.

_Flashback_

It took me a long time to find the perfect dress. I went to dozens of stores with my mother trying on anything that was my size. Nothing was what I was looking for.

When I finally came home, disappointed not to have found the perfect dress after trying so hard, my grandmother took my up to our remodeled attic which she had moved into after my grandfather died.

She went to her closet and pulled out a black dress bag. She thrust it into my hands and whispered, "Go try this on in the bathroom," before practically shoving me into her bathroom and closing the door.

I hung the dressbag on a hook, so I wouldn't wrinkle whatever was inside. I unzipped it and pulled out a beautiful dress, white with blue flowers, in the traditional Chinese qipao design. I sighed, it was what I had been searching for all day, something different and unique, one of a kind. I took it off the hanger and tried it on.

It was a perfect fit. I rushed out of the bathroom and into my grandmother's waiting arms. "You see? Perfect fit!" she exclaimed in her Chinese accent. I laughed, she was right!

"You wear that to the dance, everyone will love you," her eyes sparkled as she looked me over.

"But grandma, where did you get it?" I asked, genuinely curious because though i had seen many of her Chinese outfits, i had never seen this one.

"I bring it here from China!" she exclaimed. "It is my last one, and you wear it. My only granddaughter wear it. Perfect fit!" she said, beaming at me. So she brought it from China when she came. She had shown me many of her clothes from China, but never this. I had an inkling that she had been saving it for a special occasion like tonight.

I sighed and gave her a hug and a kiss before rushing back into the bathroom to take it off so it would still be fresh when I wore it to the dance.

_End of Flashback_

I finished buckling the straps to my high heels and stood in front of the floor-length mirror. I was shocked. The qipao complemented my creamy white skin and my usually nonexistent curves and oh my gosh, I have cleavage! My black hair contrasted perfectly with my dress so that it looked darker than it really was. My face was mostly my grandmother's with her delicate Chinese features and pointed eyes, enhanced with some light makeup. The only thing that made me look like my American father was the stormy gray color of my eyes. All the rest of my family was cursed with a dull brown. My eyes were my favorite feature.

Downstairs the doorbell rang. "Lili! Nick is here!" my mother called upstairs. Nick, my best guy friend, was escorting me to the dance because, like me, he wasn't currently in a relationship.

"Coming!" I said, and quickly grabbed my purse that contained my cell phone, wallet, some extra makeup, and my ticket to get into the homecoming dance, praying all the while I wouldn't loose it while I was out tonight. I am very forgetfull and have probably lost so many things that if the same person found all of them, then they would be rich. Then I whisked downstairs.

Nick was standing awkwardly by my parents. "Hey Lili, you look nice," Nick commented, looking me up and down. I couldn't help but smile.

"Thanks, so do you! Nice tux…" I said, and I meant it. It was a little big on him, but it made him look older. I would be surprised if he didn't have a girlfriend by the end of the night.

"It's my dad's," he said, blushing a little.

"Lili, stand next to Nick so we can get a few pictures! It's not every day that you go to your first high school dance!" my mom was so excited, I was surprised she wasn't jumping up and down.

So Nick and I endured the torture, while my brother James laughed at us behind my parents' backs. Afterward, I went up and gave him a good slap on the arm because that was about the highest thing I could reach on him. See, thanks to the Chinese blood in me, I'm only 4'11" at 15 years old. If I'm lucky, I'll make it to 5'. My brother on the other hand has too much of my dad in him, almost 6' as a junior in high school.

Nick and I got into the taxi and waved goodbye to our parents. In the city of Port Angeles, you didn't see very many limos like in the big cities, but we couldn't drive yet and didn't want our parent's driving us.

Nick and I chatted on the way to the dance, me getting jitters in my stomach because I was so nervous and excited. I couldn't believe this was actually happening!

When we arrived at the dance, Nick helped me out of the taxi and paid the driver, I would pay on the way home. He also grabbed an umbrella that I hadn't noticed before. In Port Angeles, it was very likely that it would rain. However… I didn't think it would, not tonight.

"Nick, why did you bring an umbrella?" I asked, there were clouds in the sky, but they usually were, these ones weren't rain clouds.

"Because, it's gonna rain. I looked at the weather report earlier, so I brought an umbrella so you won't get your dress wet," Nick replied. He was a total sweetheart and a true gentleman, but only as a friend, both of us felt that way.

"I don't think you're going to need it," I told him, "but good thinking."

"And why won't I need it?" Nick asked. He looked very confused, looking at the sky, then back to me.

"Because it's not going to rain," I told him.

"Yes it is, I checked the weather report," Nick repeated. God, he could be so stubborn!

"I bet you 10 bucks that it won't rain," I challenged him. He looked at me like I was crazy.

"Are you sure? I checked the weath…"

I cut him off, "Yes, I'm sure, now prepare to be 10 dollars poorer!" Nick looked at me weirdly again and then shrugged his shoulders and walked with me to give our tickets to the ushers. It was obvious he didn't believe me. But it wouldn't rain, I knew it.

Nick and I went inside, and the boring gym that we were used to had been turned into a wonderland. There were blue and white streamers everywhere and balloons to match. The walls had been covered with blue wrapping paper and snowflakes. Glitter covered the floor and looked a lot like glistening snow. It was beautiful.

"Lili, you match the gym," Nick said. I thought it was pretty random, but then I looked down and noticed that my dress, did in fact match the colors of the streamers and balloons.

"You're right!" I laughed. We met up with our other closer friends Jack, Amy, Julia, and Matt. For the first half hour or so, we mostly talked, watching as the gym filled slowly with people.

"Do you want to dance?" Nick asked me. I nodded in response, glad that the night had officially begun. I wasn't a great dancer, but I loved to dance.

Nick and I were interrupted in our second song by another boy in our class I didn't know the name of. "Hi, my name is Ben, do you want to dance?"

I was shocked. "Umm, sure?" I said, stating it as a question, looking at Nick. He smiled and nodded, but didn't have to worry because the next second he was asked to dance by one of the more popular sophomores.

The night passed quickly, each bit better than I had ever dreamed about. More boys asked me to dance. I didn't know I was so popular, I mean, maybe among my classmates, but I didn't know that many sophomores even knew my name!

"Alright, everyone! Time to announce Homecoming King and Queen!" announced the MC. Everyone cheered, including me. "The Homecoming King is… David Moore!!" Of course, the only boy to make the varsity football team in freshman year, now he was a sophomore and one of the star players. I was sure that his super-popular girlfriend, total diva and, well, bitch of the school, Tina Landen would be the Queen. Everyone cheered loudly as David went up and accepted his crown. "And the Homecoming Queen is… Lili Meyer!!"

Everyone turned to stare at me. I blinked. Nick poked me and whispered, "Lili, that's you, go, walk, move, breathe!" I was having a hard time doing just that, though, until everyone started clapping. I walked hesitantly forward, how was this possible? Mr. Harwood, the principal, placed the silver crown on my head. I just smiled and blushed a lot, totally confused. There had to be some mistake, freshmans NEVER got Homecoming Queen. I waited for someone to shout April Fool! (even though it was January) or Gotcha! but nobody did. I quickly descended the stage steps right into the arms of my friends. They all started talking at once, congratulating me on my impossible feat.

I shared a spotlight dance with David Moore. It was plenty awkward for the both of us, especially when Tina was glaring at me the whole time, like it was my fault that I was voted the homecoming queen and not her…

The rest of the night, I was treated like royalty, and so many boys were asking me to dance, I only got to dance with Nick once more before the night was over. But I didn't worry too much about it since he was pretty popular among the girls, and not just the ones from our grade.

Soon it was 11:45 and we needed to be getting home. Amy and Julia were meeting me there and we were going to have a sleepover. I had to go set up. I hoped that my mom bought extra microwave popcorn and some candy. After all, I inherited my forgetfulness from her.

Nick hailed a cab and helped me into the car. We were still laughing and waving goodbye to our friends.

However, it didn't escape my attention that as we entered the car, the cab driver stiffened and turned to stare at me. Actually, he was giving me the death glare, and at that point, I didn't really know how accurate that assumption would be.

A.N.

Sorry, it was kind of a short chapter, but I wanted to get to the main plot asap! Thanks, and please, I'm BEGGING you, review!

Kawaiia


	2. Chapter 2

A.N.

Dear Readers, thanks so much to Niah-Miyoki and NinjaWatermelon who were my first two reviewers!! YAY!! everybody give them a round of applause!! thx again, you really made my day!! sorry i didn't update sooner, all today my internet was down... tear so hopefully this chapter, though short, lives up to your standards. if not, PLEASE let me know, i know i need help on my writing skills, so don't hesitate to critisize me constructively! thx again and please review!

Kawaiia

**Chapter 2**

"Where to?" the cab driver asked. He turned around to face me, I stared in awe back; he was beautiful. I know that's weird, but there's no other word for it. His extremely pale skin and perfectly disheveled black hair contrasted. All of his features perfect, but it looked like he was trying to hold back the rage he felt that was evident when you looked into his startling black eyes, like bottomless pits.

Nick, however, wasn't looking at the driver and just said, "2546 Pine Avenue, please." My address, of course. He was so courteous, knowing that I had to get home to help my mom before Amy and Julia arrived. Any girl would be lucky to have him.

The cab driver grunted and turned away, snapping me out of my reverie. I shook my head and looked out the window. "Nick, you owe me 10 bucks," I said suddenly, I felt a smug smile playing on my lips.

Nick looked outside and saw that it wasn't raining. "Crap," he muttered to himself and dug in his back pocket for his wallet, took out a ten dollar bill, and handed it to me.

"Thanks!" I said and stuffed it in my purse, hoping not to loose it like I did so many other things. He looked away pretending to be upset, but it didn't fool me. I've known Nick long enough to know that he rarely gets mad, and especially not about trivial matters. Besides, he should know. This was like, the 10th time I've bet him about the weather. Take 3 guesses who won all 10 times.

Without warning, the cab driver put on a sudden burst of speed, rocketing forward. I clung to the seat for dear life, too shocked to start screaming. The driver's face was contorted with some unknown anger. He looked murderous.

"Excuse me, sir, we're going the wrong way," Nick said over the roaring of the car's engine. I looked at him, he looked frightened and confused, and I'm pretty sure my face mirrored his. But Nick was right, we were, I lived on the other side of town. We were heading away from town, north, and we were going VERY fast.

The driver turned and looked at us, then turned back to the road, ignoring Nick's comment. I heard a click as the doors locked. There goes that plan… I knew what was happening; we were being kidnapped. This was bad, very bad, worse than bad. I started hyperventilating, trying to think clearly, but everything just blurred together.

Nick, who hadn't lost his mind yet, tried to reach over the seat and grab the steering wheel to turn us back around. The cab driver remained steady, though, and faster than a bolt of lightning, he slammed Nick backwards into the seat, winding him. That was a gesture that obviously meant Shut up or someone will get hurt.

However, my thoughts were interrupted as we veered off the road and into the trees. Somehow we didn't crash as the driver kept speeding away from town, now through the forest.

I grabbed Nick's hand, I knew we were going to crash and die, I knew it. The only good thing to die in a crash would be that hopefully the driver would too and then he wouldn't get to kidnap us, he'd die in the act. Nick grabbed onto me and held me in a hug, not in the wrong way, it was comforting, protective. I knew he knew how I felt.

CRASH!!

I felt my head hit the passenger seat in front of me, hard, and heard the windows shatter on the impact. I held up my hands to protect my face. I saw the driver storm out of the car, and slam the dented door behind him, somehow unhurt. I sat up, dazed and I felt a wet stickiness in my hair, dribbling down the side of my face… blood. I turned and looked at Nick and was glad to see he looked fine except for a cut running down his jaw line and a bruise appearing around his left eye.

Suddenly, I was yanked out of the car by an unknown force and slammed into a tree. My breath whooshed out of me as I slid to the ground, my legs unable to hold me up. I slowly looked up, feeling my head throb from first, the car crash, and now, slamming against the tree. I felt my eyes searching for Nick, making sure he was alright. I saw that we were in a clearing, the car to my right, smoke billowing out from under the hood, and Nick right in front of me, about 100 feet away.

He started to get up and walk towards me, probably to make a run for it, but was knocked down again by a blur of white. I heard a resounding CRACK and Nick cried out in pain. I wondered what was broken.

Then the taxi driver appeared out of nowhere, bearing down on Nick. I cried out to him, but it was too late. The driver stooped down low, and though I couldn't see what was happening, heard Nick gasp, cry out once more, and then collapse.

I was in shock. The man stood up, facing me now, his eyes a bright shiny red, smiling menacingly at me while blood dribbled down his chin. I took another chance standing up and leaned against the tree for support. I tested my legs, only to take a step and trip over a hole, a sickening crack alerting me of my broken ankle. The cab driver grinned, obviously taking delight in my pain.

The man came closer, slowly, sensing my weakness, not having to rush because I couldn't move. Even if my ankle wasn't broken, I wouldn't have been able to run. I was too stunned to cry, to scream, to plead, to do anything for that matter. This is what happened in movies, and the outcome was never good.

Then, as he took another step closer, I saw Nick on the ground behind him. HE looked broken, like a small child's doll that had fallen out the window, he was deathly pale, so pale that I knew that if he wasn't dead all ready, which would be a miracle, he would be soon, and there was absolutely nothing I could do to help.

The man finally reached me, and grabbed me, hugging me to his chest so hard that I couldn't move. He backed up until my back hit the tree once more. I smelt him, he smelled surprisingly good, like fresh air blowing through a field of flowers on a spring day.

"Hello, love," he whispered in my ear. He was freezing, he felt like cold granite being pressed against my skin. I shivered. "You know I hate to see such a pretty girl fall into my hands, but your blood, oh your blood! I've never smelt anything like it." He leaned in and smelled my neck. "Mmm, cherry blossom? Oh well, you might not have to have died this way if your blood weren't so tempting to me..."

That was the end of his speech, time for the real thing to begin. He started touching me, where I had never been touched before in my life. I gasped, my breath ragged. But before I could breathe another breath of air, his lips were on mine. This was not how I imagined my first kiss would be. His lips were much too forceful, too stony. He forced himself on me, taking advantage of me before relenting a bit. Then he started kissing me, across my jaw, down my neck. Suddenly, I felt his teeth break my skin, a searing pain on my neck. I screamed at last.

He started sucking, I could feel and see the blood leaving my body. I could see the evil in his eyes, as red as the dark crimson blood leaving my body. What was this.. thing... monster?

He was suddenly gone; I hit the forest floor. I looked up, blinking the rainbow dots out of my vision to see two white shapes, blurred, and lots of noise, too much noise… My head throbbed.

That's when the pain started, coming in from my neck. A pain so cold, it was searing hot, like dry ice running through my veins. It was burning me from the inside out. I felt myself screaming, a piercing scream so loud it sounded as if it belonged to some other creature, not a human. I couldn't think, I couldn't see. Whiteness blocked my vision. The pain was so intense.

I was picked up and moved so fast, I didn't know what was happening. I looked to the side and saw trees flashing by me at an impossible speed. The pain flared again, and again whiteness overtook my vision.

I felt myself being laid down, heard voices talking quickly, so quickly they sounded like a buzz, a murmur, though at this point, they may have been all in my head. The fire burned worse than ever and I blacked out.

A.N.

So, did you like it? please tell me if you did or didn't, please! I'll try to update asap, but i don't know what i'm doing tomorrow, and then on Saturday, BREAKING DAWN COMES OUT!! YAAAAAAY!! oh yeah, that reminds me, the whole vampirism thing is stephenie meyer's idea, not mine, so give all credit to her! thx. please review, love u!

Kawaiia


	3. Chapter 3

A.N.

Thanks so much to my so far 3 reviewers! you don't know how happy i am that you guys took the time to tell me your opinion on my story. Hopefully as the story gets longer and progresses, more people will read and review! yay! i hope you like this chapter, it's kind of boring because it's mostly explaining stuff about vampires. Oh yea, the whole vampirism thing and the cullens belong to Stephenie Meyer, it's her idea as you very well know (if you don't, i don't know why you're reading this!) so, yeah. thanks again, please review!

Kawaiia

**Chapter 3**

I flickered in and out of consciousness, hearing voices whispering all around, seeing flickers of blurred shapes, people I was guessing. I wondered when I was going to die, when the pain was going to stop. I wanted death so badly, I asked for it whenever I could speak, but usually the pain was so intense that I could barely speak. But the blurred people just kept looking at me; I couldn't make out their faces.

Slowly, the pain began to ebb away. Eventually I was almost back to normal, sudden bursts of fire flaring for a few seconds before it went away again. Then, it stopped all together. For a few minutes, I just listened to the sounds of the house, the squeaking of bed springs under me, the roar of the wind as it whistled around the house, somewhere water was running, and I could definitely hear voices and people moving around.

I lay there, feeling exhausted, wondering where I was; I knew I wasn't in a hospital because it didn't have that hospital smell of ammonia and antiseptic. I slowly opened my eyes, only to cry out in pain at the blinding light and shut them again.

"She's awake!" an excited voice said. It wasn't an ordinary voice. It sounded like the tinkling of bells. But something was different, she sounded so clear, so loud, like she was standing next to me, but I could tell she wasn't in the same room.

"Close the curtains, she needs to be able to adjust to the light," another voice said, this one a male. The light so bright on the outside of my eyelids began to dim. I opened my eyes once more and sat up.

I was in a spacious room, with lavender walls and lying in a queen sized bed. Other than a bedside table and a dresser with a lamp on top, there wasn't much in the room, only a few chairs that were obviously, at one point, placed around the bed, but were now scooted back so that

Surrounding me were four extremely beautiful people. A short, pixie-like girl with spiky black hair, and excitement radiating from her so condensed it was almost tangible. Then there was a tall girl, with a face that any super model would die for, so beautiful I couldn't compare it to anyone I had every known in my life, and long, flowing blonde hair. Next to her was a man with knowing eyes and a kind smile. He had his arm around the waist of another woman, this one with caramel colored locks and a motherly air about her. Though they didn't share any of the same features, they all had incredibly pale skin and bright topaz-colored eyes.

They were all looking at me. I stared back, stunned, I didn't know any of them, they didn't even look familiar. The short pixie-girl was the first to talk. "Hi, I'm Alice, how are you feeling?"

For the first time since I had sat up, I examined myself. I didn't seem to be in pain anymore, except for… "My throat," I started, it felt like it had been rubbed raw with sandpaper, but I didn't have to say anymore.

"Drink this, it will make you feel better," said the man and he handed me a glass filled to the brim with a crimson liquid. I drank it because the burning had gotten so bad that I felt tears gathering in my eyes, though I was surprised none of them spilled over. The liquid was warm and tasted wonderful, though I couldn't really compare it to anything I had ever eaten before. It did help, and I felt the burning dull, but it didn't go away completely.

"Thank you," I said and handed the glass back to the man. I wanted to ask where I was, why I felt so different, why I was here in this room.

"What is your name, darling?" the woman with the caramel hair asked as her eyes searched mine, as though looking for the answer.

"Lili Meyer," I said, and the woman smiled.

"What a beautiful name," the woman said. I smiled back.

"Do you mind if I talk to Lili alone for awhile?" the man asked the girls standing by him. They left silently, and I noticed how fluid and graceful their movements were as they exited the room. The man pulled a chair from behind him up beside the bed I was sitting on.

We sat there for a few minutes, neither of us speaking. "Where am I?" I asked suddenly, breaking the silence.

"You are just outside of Forks, my name is Carlisle Cullen and I'm a doctor who works at the Forks hospital," he answered me quickly and thoroughly.

"Mr. Cullen?" I started.

"You can call me Carlisle," he said.

"Carlisle, I don't know what happened, I need to find my family, they're probably worried because I didn't come home from the dance…" I stopped talking. The dance. Images flashed before my eyes, my friends, getting crowned Homecoming Queen, Nick, the cab driver, the pain, everything came back at once. I felt myself starting to hyperventilate.

I felt Carlisle push me backwards onto the bed so that I was lying down. "Don't worry, just relax." He stared at me with such kind eyes, worry laced through his beautiful features; I had no choice but to oblige.

It seemed as though my vision was clearer, I could see much better though I had never needed glasses. It was surreal.

I was the first to break the silence again. "What happened to me? I feel so different…" He seemed hesitant about saying whatever it was he wanted to say.

He looked at me anxiously, deliberating. Was he hiding something from me? "Lili…" he started, eyes cast downward, "there are some things that if I told you, I know you would never believe me." He said this all carefully, like if he said something wrong, he was afraid I would explode.

I nodded at him, urging him to go on. I had to know what was happening to me, why I felt so, so _different_ than I had before. I felt full of an energy I didn't know existed, I could hear people moving and whispering two floors below us, see so much better than I could ever realize, and the scratchiness in my throat never went away. It was time for some answers.

"Well, before I say anything, you have to promise that you'll believe me, no matter how crazy or senile I sound because I promise, as I continue, it will all make sense," he rushed on, making sure that I had given my word before he continued.

"Let's just say that all of the… myths that you hear about aren't actually myths, that there is a world of," here he paused, looking me up and down for some kind of reaction. I gave none. " vampires." He finished.

I blinked. Then started to giggle uncontrollably. "Vampires, hehehe, vampires, hehehe," I sat there gasping for air, "No really, what's wrong with me?" I searched his face for some kind of joking sparkle in his eyes and was confused to find none. "Wait, so you're serious?"

Carlisle nodded, now earnest to show me that his theory was correct. "I know how crazy it sounds, but listen to me. A vampire, like your so-called myths say, drinks blood. It can exist in two forms: drinking the blood of a human, or drinking the blood of an animal. Rarely vampires choose the latter of the two because it is against our nature and never quite satiates the thirst. My family drinks the blood of animals because we believe that it is against all morals we may or may not possess. We only know of one other coven that has the same diet as us. However, most vampires choose to feed off of human blood because no matter how much animal blood you drink, human blood will always smell better, taste better, and help with the thirst better. It's like drinking water or a milkshake. Milkshakes are more filling than water, and they taste better."

He smiled slightly, amused at his own comparison between a human being and a beverage. I just thought that this man was off his rocker.

"Most vampires live in large cities, or near large cities, so when they hunt, it doesn't have as big of an impact on the population. To hunt, a vampire has many built-in weapons: superhuman strength, sight, and hearing, razor-sharp teeth, and no matter how superfluous it is, venom. The venom is useless, causes the victim to be in so much pain that he or she is unable to run away from the vampire. Like I said, superfluous; usually the victim is already dead before the vampire even starts drinking. In the rare case that the venom _is_ left to spread, however, it flows through the person's blood stream, erasing all imperfections, killing you, turning you into a vampire over the course of approximately three days. My dear, I am sorry to inform you that three nights ago, the man that bit you was indeed a vampire, and by the time Rosalie got you here, it was too late to suck the venom back out."

Me, a vampire? "But sir, what about shriveling in sunlight? or sleeping in coffins? or being warded off by crosses and garlic?" I tried to keep my laughter inside, but I was doing a poor job of it.

"All myths, we do not sleep in coffins, and we act perfectly normal around crosses and garlic. As for sunlight, it doesn't kill us, but no, an intelligent vampire would not be seen outside on a sunny day."

"Why not?" I asked. He was taking this all in so calmly, unperturbed by the fact that I thought it all complete nonsense.

"Because we would cause quite a traffic jam, I'll show you," he answered as he strode to the large window that seemed to cover an entire wall. He pulled back the curtains that were blocking out the sunlight. At first, I couldn't see, it was much too bright for my sensitive eyes. Then, as they began to adjust, I saw that Carlisle was sparkling, like really sparkling. It looked as though he had a million diamonds embedded into his skin, and every time he breathed or moved, he glittered. I stood there, gaping.

"But... how?" I asked, lost for words. I finally believed him; all that stuff about vampires, it had to be true. I might have thought this was a dream, but I knew that I could never think up something this creative.

"My dear, if I knew, I would tell you. Unfortunately, I don't, so that part of this amazing happening will remain a mystery." I nodded.

"So if what you say is true, then I'm a..." I stopped short, unable to say the word that hung in the air unsaid.

"Yes," he responded, his eyes softening, a look of understanding settling into his scintillating face. "If you don't believe me, look at yourself!"

I looked down at my hands, folded in my lap. They were sparkling! Just like Carlisle's diamond skin. I was a vampire. I shot up faster than I had though humanly possible, but then again, I wasn't a human anymore, was I?

I opened the door of what I guessed to be the bathroom and stood in front of the mirror. I was changed. My skin was as pale as Carlisle's and the rest of the people who had been in here earlier. My hair was slightly longer, shinier, thicker, flowing straight down my back. My eyes were red, red like the blood I used to have, red like the man, who I now knew to be a vampire, who bit me three days ago. I was still dressed in my grandmother's qipao that she gave to me for the dance. It was stained with blood, my blood. Not to mention my skin was still glittering something fierce. I really looked like a vampire. Not like a scary one, minus the eyes, but definitely not human.

I walked back out to Carlisle, waiting in the bedroom. A small smile played on his lips as he closed the curtains once more. I tried to smile back, but I wasn't sure I managed; my throat was still hurting from the thirst.

"Lili, you now have two choices. One, you can stay with us and become 'vegetarian'. We will help you, train you to become a strong vampire. Or, you we can send you off with the next coven that passes through the Forks area to become a vampire that feeds on humans. There's no pressure to make a decision right away, bu-"

"Is it okay if I stay with you?" I asked, interrupting, but I knew he didn't need to continue.

He smiled at me, put an arm around my shoulders and said, "Well, if you're going to be staying with us, why don't you meet the rest of the family?"

A.N.

Readers, next chapter we get to meet the Cullens! YAYAYAYAYAYAY!! I'll update asap, but as you very well know (or should know) breaking dawn comes out tomorrow, so I might be reading, hehe! please review to tell me how you liked this chapter, i know it was pretty bland, mostly discussing vampire stuff, but i had to throw it in there otherwise our heroine wouldn't know what was going on. thanks again for reading, loves you all!

Kawaiia


	4. Chapter 4

A.N.

I am soooooooooooooo sorry that I haven't updated in, like, over a week! (tear) my computer had a virus and my laptop (which I am currently on) was getting wiped before school started… so I've been pretty busy. Also, over the weekend I read Breaking Dawn! What did you guys think? I don't want to say much because some of you might not have read it yet, so just tell me in a review or something… thx!! I feel kinda bad for not updating in so long, so I'm gonna try my very best to get you TWO chapters in one night! Won't that be great?! Except I have dance tonight…. So maybe by tomorrow morning… Anyways, within 24 hours of each other. You know what, I'm gonna stop talking, actually typing, now so that you can just read the chapter. Ignore me. Thx again! Enjoy! Oh yeah, Cullens and Cullen house and all that jazz belong to the most amazing Stephenie Meyer, NOT me. I could never think this stuff up on my own…

Kawaiia

PS. Sorry, Nick is dead, he didn't survive. The stupid unknown vampire sucked him dry… (tear)

**Chapter 4**

I followed Carlisle's lead and walked after him, following him down two flights of stairs and onto the first level of the house. I had to say, the Cullen's certainly didn't live like I would imagine vampires to live.

The huge room in front of me must have at one point been many different rooms, but now all the walls were knocked down, making the first floor one gigantic space. It was decorated in varying shades of white, giving the room a light, airy feel to it, and the entire back wall was made of windows letting in lots of sunlight; you could see a river running parallel to the house in the distance. There was a living room-type area with a tv and multiple couches and chairs in a U-shape around a centered glass coffee table. Off to my right side, there was a kitchen, fully equipped with a stove, refrigerator, microwave, oven, toaster, everything. I found it ironic.

However, no matter how beautiful the room was, it would never, _ever_ compare to the five vampires standing before me, sparkling in the sun. The three women I recognized from earlier. The short, pixie one with black, spiky hair that had features as delicate and beautiful as Tinkerbell, the tall blonde that looked more like an angel than any person or painting I'd ever seen, and finally the woman with hair like caramel, falling in tendrils down her back and a welcoming smile on her face.

There were also two males that I had not seen before. One was tall and lean with honey blonde hair, his hand holding the short, black-haired girl's. He had thick bands of muscle wrapping around his arms, apparent even through the long-sleeve shirt he wore. However, his muscles were nothing like the giant standing with his arms wrapped around the waist of the blonde. He towered above me, a good 6'8" with muscles bulging so that it seemed his arm alone was two feet around. He had dark curls framing his smiling, yet intimidating, 

face. Unfortunately, my height didn't change in the transformation into a vampire, so he was nearly two feet taller than me and at least twice as thick.

I hesitated behind Carlisle, not knowing what to say or do. He went over to the vampires facing us and wrapped his arm around the waist of the carmel-haired woman and smiled at me.

"Lili, I would like you to meet my family, the Cullens. This is Alice (the short, spiky-haired pixie), Jasper (the tall honey-blonde male), Rosalie (the angelic blonde), Emmett (the one that looked like he could pick up a house with one hand), and Esme, my wife," he gestured to them each in turn, ending with the woman standing next to him. I nodded, committing the names to my memory.

"It's nice to meet you, I'm Lili." I said, trying to sound confident, but failing dismally.

"Welcome to the family, Lili, we are so glad to have you here," Esme stepped forward and took me into a motherly embrace. I hugged her back, and realized I missed the way my mother used to hug me. I felt my eyes prick with tears I was unable to cry.

She pulled away still smiling at me warmly and went to go stand back next to Carlisle.

"Hi Lili!" Alice bounded forward, more graceful than a ballerina, and hugged me like Esme, except this hug was different, just as warm and accepting, but with a more sister/friend meaning.

Once Alice was done, Jasper shook my hand, not saying anything, but looking at me with kindness in his eyes. I knew how he felt; I was not one of many words either.

Rosalie hugged me like Alice, except she had to stoop a little because I was so short. Afterwards, she gave me a breathtaking smile that showed off her pearly white teeth. I gasped at her beauty, quietly, but I knew they heard me.

Emmett startled me by rushing forward after Rosalie had stepped back and lifting me off the floor (a good foot or so) and crushing me in a bear hug. I probably would have shattered if I was human, but luckily I wasn't so I survived in one piece.

He set me down, beaming, and I smiled back at him, his happiness contagious. We stood there in awkwardness for a few seconds, until Alice saved us all once again.

"Lili, do you want to take a shower, and you probably should change too. My clothes will fit you for now, but tomorrow I'm going shopping…"

I smiled at her and nodded, grateful for the offer of a shower. I hadn't showered in three days and my skin felt a little sticky; I didn't even want to know what my hair looked like. Alice grabbed my hand and led me back to the room I was in earlier in about 10 seconds.

"Wow…" I muttered.

"Yeah, the speed takes some getting used to, don't worry about it!" Alice exclaimed as she walked slow_er_, but still faster than a human could into the bathroom. I followed her. She turned on the shower as hot as it could go.

"Strip," Alice ordered, looking at me. I stared back and blinked. "Lili, it's nothing I haven't seen before! Now strip." She glared at me so fiercely that I didn't dare disobey her. I slipped my grandmother's qipao over my head and handed it to her reluctantly.

"Will you give it back?" I asked. "It was my grandmother's…"

"Of course! Stop worrying so much, I'm just going to send it in for dry cleaning to get the blood and dirt out," she explained as she folded my dress over her arm, leaving me in my bra and underwear. "I'll be right back, I'm going to get you some clothes and stuff. While I'm gone, get in the shower."

She sped out of the bathroom before I could nod. I stripped off my undergarments and stepped cautiously into the shower, expecting it to be blazing hot. I was wrong, however, it was just pleasantly warm. I found shampoo, conditioner, and body wash in the shower already. I washed my hair and scrubbed my body so that all traces of dirt, blood, and sweat from the night in the woods were gone. I stood in the shower for a few more minutes, letting the powerful jets relax my body.

I decided that I had delayed the inevitable long enough so I turned off the water faucets and stepped out of the shower onto the squishy lavender bath mat beneath my feet. I wrapped a fluffy white towel around my body and walked over to the counter.

Alice had left me some clothes, a brush, some hair bands and clips, a toothbrush and toothpaste (do vampires brush their teeth?), and a few things of makeup.

_Wow_, I thought to myself, _Alice really didn't forget anything._

I quickly ran the brush through my long hair and used a hair band to throw it into a messy bun. I grabbed the first thing off the pile of clothes and gasped. Alice had given me a black lace bra and undie set to wear. I quickly dropped it back onto the pile and looked on the floor to find the bra and underwear I had been wearing earlier. I cursed under my breath, Alice had probably confiscated them, seeing as they were nowhere in sight.

I glared at the pile of black lace sitting atop my clothes, well _Alice's_ clothes, as though they had just insulted me and slapped me across the face.

I blinked and sighed, snapping out of my staring contest with the undergarments in question. Alice was going to get it later!

I slipped on the bra quickly, snapping it in the back. It fit surprisingly well, seeing as I had never had much of a bust before. The undies fit well too, but revealed a little too much for my preference. Then I wiggled into the dark wash jeans and pink baby doll top she had left. They were a little big, seeing as Alice was about 2 inches taller than me, but they would be just fine for now.

I didn't bother with makeup, I wasn't going anywhere special.

I stepped out of the bathroom feeling refreshed and clean, and walked back downstairs at a normal human pace; I wasn't used to the super speed yet.

Only Emmett and Jasper remained in the big room, watching a hockey game on tv. Emmett was very exuberant, yelling and cheering along with the fans on the tv. Jasper, however, simply rested his elbows on his knees, put his chin on his hands, and watched the game silently, still as a statue, eyes never leaving the screen.

After a few moments, Emmett noticed me standing there. "Hey Lili! Wanna watch the hockey game with us?"

"Um, sure?" I said. I wasn't really a huge sports fan, but I figured it was a good way to get to know my new family better. I went and sat down next to Jasper on the huge couch. The St. Louis Blues were beating the Detroit Red Wings 4-3. "Who do you want to win?"

"Blues," said Emmett.

"Red Wings," said Jasper.

"Oh," I replied, unsure of whom I should be cheering for. I just watched the game in silence, clapping with Emmett when one of the teams scored a goal. At the end of the third period, they were tied 5-5. They went all the way into sudden death overtime, until the Red Wings scored a goal.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Emmett cried, sinking to his knees.

"YES!" Jasper yelled, and ran to the kitchen and opened the pantry. He took out a pack of oreo cookies and waved them in front of Emmett's face. Emmett snatched the cookies from Jasper and opened them.

"Do I really have to eat the _entire_ pack?" Emmett asked, grimacing in distaste as he picked up an oreo and sniffed it.

"That was the bet!" Jasper said, settling back in his chair, laughing as Emmett shoved three cookies in his mouth at once, gagged, and then swallowed.

"Yech, those taste horrible!" Emmett said, wiping the cookie crumbs off his mouth with the back of his hand.

"Too bad, you have to eat the whole thing," Jasper said, lifting up another oreo and handing it to Emmett.

Emmett swallowed it down with two others, and that's how it went until Emmett finished the entire pack of oreo's. Then he rushed off, hand over mouth, back upstairs.

"Wait, Jasper?" I stopped him as he started to head back upstairs.

"Yes?"

"I was wondering, what's going to happen to all of those cookies that Emmett ate?"

"Oh," Jasper laughed, "well human food doesn't sit too well in a vampire's stomach. Emmett's going to have to, um, throw the food back up."

I nodded, a little repulsed by the consequences of their odd bet. "Why do you have food in the house?"

"Oh, well I guess you don't know about Edward and Bella yet. They're the last two vampires in our family. Right now they're at Dartmouth for their last year of college. Bella used to be human, she's got changed four years ago, but we had lots of food for her before, so Emmett and I use the remaining food for bets."

"Those cookies were four years old? Ew…"

Jasper laughed as I turned around and started up the stairs.

"Oh yeah, Lili?" Jasper stopped me this time.

"Hm?"

"I was told to give you this," Jasper answered, handing me a shoe box with my name written on the top in fancy calligraphy. I lifted the top so it was open a crack. A glint of silver caught my eye, and I gasped. I raced past Jasper back up the stairs, faster than ever before. I was in my room within seconds.

I sat on my bed, breathing heavily, even though breathing was superfluous. I took the lid off the box the rest of the way. Inside was my crown I got as Homecoming queen, the chopstick I had worn in my hair, the purse I had taken with me, and the shoes that I had worn.

I picked up my chopstick and curled into a ball, shaking with silent sobs and unshed tears. All the memories I had repressed since I got here came rushing back into my mind; the night of the Homecoming Dance, the unknown vampire, and Nick. I fingered my crown, remembering how exciting it had been when the Principal called my name. I placed it on my head, and walked over to the bathroom. In the mirror, I imagined myself how I looked as a human, soft, warm, and blushing. I was none of those things now. I snatched the crown back off my head and set it back in the box. I closed the lid and grabbed one of the chairs still in my room. I entered the closet, stood on the chair, and hid my human memories in the very back corner of the highest shelf. I was a vampire now, forbidden to enter the human world, at least until I could control my thirst.

I heard a soft knock on my door. I composed myself and went to open it. Rosalie stood there, beautiful as ever, looking worried and understanding. She stepped into my room and gave me a hug. I couldn't help it, I started sobbing once more. She just held me and comforted me until I became exhausted from crying for so long.

"Thank you Rosalie," I whispered, still tight in her arms.

"It's ok, Lili, I know what it's like to have everything you could ever want, only to have it taken away in the blink of an eye. I'm still sad sometimes, but living as a vampire with a family like we have isn't all that bad. I have Emmett. Don't worry, everyone understands how you feel," Rosalie said. She gave me one last squeeze before letting go. "If I were you, I would get some rest. Tomorrow, you're going to have to learn how to hunt."

I nodded and sighed. I laid back on my bed and closed my eyes, sinking into a half-sleep. I thought about my family and friends, though some of their faces were blurry in my mind. I thought about how worried they would be, how they thought I was missing. I thought about the eternity I had stretching before me, how so much had changed in so little time.

I felt the scratchiness coming back to my throat and sighed. Rosalie was right, tomorrow, I would have to learn how to hunt.

A.N.

How'd you like it? Lili's first day as a vampire! Please review, I might have the next chapter up tonight! Yay! Oh yeah, before I forget, does anyone know how to see how many hits your story has gotten? Because I have like 7 reviews, but I kinda want to know how many people have actually read it… thanks for reading! Please review! Oh yeah, the Olympics start today! Exciting! I love watching the gymnastics! XD

Kawaiia


	5. Chapter 5

A.N.

You guys! Some of those reviews are, like, the nicest things anyone's ever said to me! Thanks so much, but really, if you don't like something, tell me! Well, here's chapter 5, hunting! With Emmett… hehe!

Kawaiia

Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Cullens and all that stuff, pretty much anything recognizable, it's all hers, not mine

**Chapter 5**

I laid in bed for a long time, or what felt like a long time, trying to ignore the scratchiness in my throat by thinking about my human life. A lot of my memories were blurry, and some gone altogether, but I was able to hold on to a few of them.

Around 5:30 am, there was a knock on my door. "Lili? Can I come in?" Alice asked quietly, but she knew I could hear her.

"Sure," I said, wondering what this could be about. Alice opened the door to my room and skipped over carrying a bundle, and plopping down on the end of my bed where my feet didn't reach.

"I was wondering if, since you're part of the family now, can Esme and I remodel this room? It used to be a guest room, you know, an extra room we didn't really need, but now it's yours and I think it's a pretty drab room with no color and barely any furniture and nothing that's really worth keeping or having…" Alice started, looking at her hands. For the first time since I met her, she wasn't bubbling over with excitement.

"Alice, I don't need this room remodeled, I like it fine the way it is!" I stated. Even when I was human, I hated people spending unnecessary money, especially on me.

"You are so much like Bella! She never wants anything done for her either!" I remembered Jasper saying something about Bella yesterday… and Edward…

"But Alice, I don't need anything done for me, the room is perfect!"

"Lili, I've been looking for a good reason to remodel this room for a long time. Now that I have a legitimate reason, do you really want to stop me and Esme from having our fun? Pleeeeeeeeeeease?" Alice begged, and looked up at me with huge doe eyes.

I blinked. I was _so_ not ready for those eyes. I felt myself relax back onto the pillows, melting under her pleading stare. "Sure, Alice, do what you'd like…" I said in a resigned voice. How could she make me feel so guilty for ruining her fun?

"YAY! Thanks so much Lili! I have the most perfect idea! You'll love it!" She leaped up from the bed and squeezed me really tight.

"Here are some clothes for today," she said and set down a bundle of clothes on the end of the bed and then left the room, muttering to herself about Esme's furniture magazines and different colors she might use.

I sighed and slid off the bed, still wondering what Alice was going to do to my room. I scooped up the pile of clothes Alice had left for me and stepped into the bathroom. I splashed some water on my face and slipped on the jeans, t-shirt, and zip-up sweat shirt that Alice had left for me.

I heard someone knock on my door once again. "Come in," I said. Emmett walked through the door, dressed fully in camouflage, including an army cap and a whistle around his neck.

"Hey Emmett…" I said, "Why are you dressed like that?"

He looked at me very seriously, "Lili, today we start your hunting training. I will teach you how to hunt properly, so that you receive the full hunting experience!"

I cocked my head and raised my eyebrows, taking in his outfit once more, along with his eager and excited expression. "When do we leave?"

"As soon as you're ready," Emmett said, shifting his weight from foot to foot, looking like an impatient kid waiting for his parents to wake up on Christmas morning.

I sighed, "Give me ten minutes."

Emmett looked at me first incredulously, and then with a mischievous glint in his eye.

"Emmett…" I warned, looking at him warily; whatever he was up to, it was something that I probably wanted nothing to do with.

He grinned suddenly, and ran at me, flipping me easily over his shoulder. "I can't wait ten minutes! Let's go now!" He suggested, running off down the hall.

"Emmett! Emmett, put me down!" I cried, slamming my small fist into his huge back with each word.

"Lili, that hurts, stop it," Emmett said, wincing as I continued to hit him. We raced out of the house, and headed towards the strip of blue water in the back yard. I noticed that the sun was shining, the beams glancing off of my diamond skin. "Lili, you don't know your own strength!" Emmett looked back at me, his head turning over his shoulder.

"Then put me DOWN!" I screamed, and slapped him as hard as I could.

"Ouch! You're going to pay for that one!" he said, swinging me down off his shoulder and tickling my sides. I started giggling uncontrollably, now rolling on the ground, trying to swat his hands away from my stomach.

"Stop it, stop it Emmett!" I laughed, gasping for air I didn't need. I managed to grab one of his hands and pull myself into a standing position. I was still laughing as he started trying to wiggle out of my grip. I grabbed on with both hands, his wrist too large for me to hold on with just one.

"I'll let go if you promise not to tickle me or pick me up or anything else, ok?" I asked, trying to compromise, because even though I might be slightly stronger than him at the moment, there was no way I would be able to keep this up for very long.

"I can't make promises that I might break!" Emmet said back, starting to spin in circles, frantic to get me off of him, probably to start tickling me again. He started laughing at the glare I was giving him.

He brought the arm I was hanging on back behind his back. I realized a second too late what he was going to do. "Emmett, don't, please!" I screamed as he flung me from his arm. My hands were forced to separate with his skin and I flew farther than I suppose he meant to throw me. I landed with a large splash in the river, ending up with a large amount of water going up my nose and into my mouth.

I pushed off from the bottom, about 20 feet under the water. I gasped and sputtered as my head broke the surface and I started making my way to the shore, not having to fight hard against the strong current.

Emmett stood in the exact same spot as I had left him in, staring at me in shock. I stood, water dripping off of me and streaming down my legs in little streams. I glared at him, suddenly angry that I was soaking wet because he _threw_ me into the water, and now he just _stood_ there, gaping at me.

The used-to-be sunny sky suddenly clouded over with stormy gray clouds. "Emmett," I whispered dangerously as wind started to blow my hair loose from my ponytail, "you are _so_ dead." (hehe, no pun intended)

That seemed to snap him out of his trance. He looked worriedly at the sky, then back at me, standing in front of the river with daggers shooting out of my eyes.

"Lili, I'm sorry, I didn't mean…" Emmett started, walking slowly backwards, away from me. I advanced slowly, snarls ripping out of my throat. I crouched down, ready to spring at him.

"Lili, look, I'm sorry! I really didn't mean to!" Emmett attempted to calm me down, seeing how angry I was that I was so wet. I wasn't in the mood for reconciliation, I wanted revenge.

I pounced at Emmett, somehow knocking his huge figure to the ground. I grabbed both of his feet and started dragging him back the way I had come. "Lili, please, really! I'm sorry, I'll do anything… well, almost anything!" Emmett said desperately, clawing at the ground, trying to dig his fingers in to stop himself from moving.

I ignored him, dragging him to the edge of the river. I used all my strength and threw him right into the middle where he landed with a huge splash. I smiled, content with my revenge and turned my back to the river and started skipping back towards the house, hoping to change into something dry before I went hunting.

I walked through the doorway, entering into the large, white room to a round of applause. I stopped, surprised. The rest of the Cullens were lined up with their backs to the large window, sparkling in the sunlight once again, of course they had seen the whole thing; we hadn't exactly been very quiet.

I smiled a little and took a bow, and when I stood up, I could see Emmett walking up the lawn himself, dripping with water and mud from the river. I giggled a little at the sight.

"Way to go, Lili!" Jasper said, suddenly standing beside me.

Alice skipped gracefully to Jasper's side, "I have some more clothes you can have upstairs," she whispered, and I nodded gratefully.

"Man, I can't believe you got beat by Lili!" Jasper said to Emmett as he walked in the door, slapping him on the back. He glanced darkly in Jasper's direction; I had a feeling Jasper was never going to let him live it down.

"Sorry Emmett…" I muttered, shy once more, my streak of confidence gone.

He laughed loudly, "Hey, no problem, kid! I kinda deserved it anyways!" He patted my head, still chuckling.

"Come on Emmett, let's get you some new clothes as well," Rosalie said, beckoning to him to follow her. I watched as she led him back upstairs, him leaving big, wet footprints on the immaculate carpet.

I tiptoed carefully across the floor, trying to leave it as dry as possible. "Sorry Esme," I said, as I saw her getting out the vacuum.

"It's fine, dear, nothing to worry about! It's not really your fault anyways."

Alice led me to her room, and into her even bigger closet. She handed me some new jeans, a cute t-shirt, and another sweatshirt, this one a hoodie. "Thanks so much, Alice!" I said, as I walked into her huge bathroom.

"No problem! I'm going to have to get you your own wardrobe, though, my clothes are a little too big…" she went back to reading a PB Teen magazine on her bed.

As soon as I was changed, I went back downstairs with Alice, only to find Jasper, Emmett, and Rosalie waiting for us.

"Ok, so now, we're finally going to teach you how to hunt. We would have sooner, but, you know…" Rosalie said, smiling at me. I nodded, realizing that the scratchiness in my throat seemed to have worsened incredibly over the past half hour or so; it was almost unbearable.

I followed them as they ran out of the house and back towards the river. Then, one by one, they jumped over it onto the other side. I hesitated, then jumped as well. I felt a rush of adrenaline enter my body, coursing through my veins. (sorry, do vampire's have adrenaline? Oh well…)

We ran into the woods, a million different sounds entering my head at once. The speed was exhilarating, and I kept wanting to go faster and faster, and I could have gone faster than all of them, but I held back because I didn't know where we were headed.

We stopped in a clearing after only a few minutes of running. "Lili, I want you to close your eyes and surrender yourself to your senses," Emmett said, his voice overly-dramatic.

I did as I was told, though, and closed my eyes and let my senses take over. It seemed I could hear everything, smell everything; the leaves, the dirt, the squirrels, but they didn't smell very appetizing at all. Then I came upon a whiff of something tangy, but sweet, and my thirst intensified more than it had before. I heard its heartbeat, pumping the blood through the veins, the blood that would quench my thirst. I tensed my body, waiting to be told what to do.

"Ok, you smell that? That's a deer," Emmett said. "It's all alone, wandered off from the herd, I'm guessing. I only hear one heartbeat… Anyways, open your eyes and I'll show you how to attack."

My eyes snapped open and I saw Emmett crouched on the ground, preparing to spring at the deer. "You have to be quiet, sneak up on it so it won't run away. If it does, then you have to chase it, and then it scares away other animals that you could have gotten as well," Emmett explained in an undertone.

I nodded, afraid to move. Then he pounced, graceful, but nothing like I imagined Alice would have done it. He landed on top of the deer and I heard a crack as he broke its neck. I winced.

Emmett beckoned to me, so I walked at a human pace towards him and the dead deer. I silently prayed in my head for the poor creature before I reached Emmett.

"See, then you just break the skin and drink, it's not that hard," Emmett said and patted the ground next to him. I knelt beside him and took the dead dear in my arms. I just stared at it. The blood smelled so good, but how could I hurt an innocent animal in the process?

"Lili, it's ok. Isn't this better than drinking from humans?" Jasper said from behind me. I nodded, knowing that if I could cry, I would be. I leaned in to drink from the deer. As soon as the thick liquid touched my lips, I knew I wouldn't be able to stop. It was just too good. I drank from the deer more deeply, more urgently, like there wasn't enough time.

Soon, however, the deer was drained, and the scratchiness in my throat was abated for now. I looked up from the deer, around at the four vampires around me.

"Wow, you're a clean drinker from the start! I mean, the first time hunting I felt like a total savage, but you didn't even spill a drop of blood! Even Emmett still gets blood on his clothes sometimes…" Rosalie said. She smiled at me as I stood up with the deer in my arms.

"Here, you can put it under here," Emmett said, scowling at Rosalie. He had lifted up a tree and motioned for me to put the deer under it. I did as I was told, and said another quick prayer for the deer as the tree covered it back up.

"Are you still thirsty? You could probably use another deer…" Alice started, but I shook my head.

"I'm full; I don't think I could drink anymore…"

"Hmm, that's weird… especially newborns need at least two deer… maybe it's just you're so small…" Alice concluded, looking a little worried.

"Aren't you going to hunt?" I asked, looking at the vampires around me.

"We hunted two days ago, you know, before you woke up…" Emmett said. I nodded, glad that hunting was over. I decided it was definitely not the best aspect of being a vampire.

We ran back to the house, faster than before, and were met at the door by Esme and Carlisle.

"How was hunting?"

"It was good…" I replied, a little uncomfortable that 'good' had included the murder of a deer.

"Carlisle, Lili only needed to drink one deer, is that weird?" Alice asked.

"Hmmm… a little, but I'm guessing it has to do with her size. You only drink two, don't you?"

"Yeah, just making sure…" Alice said, still not looking convinced.

That night, we watched a movie as a family, and yes, I was beginning to think of these wonderful vampires as my family. I was more comfortable with them than I had ever imagined, and it was only the second day I had been with them. So when I retired to my room, to rest a little after the long day, I smiled when I heard Carlisle and Esme reading in their room, Alice and Jasper whispering softly to each other, and Rosalie and Emmett, well, let's not get into that. But I knew tomorrow and the next day, and for the rest of eternity, I would always be accepted here for who i truly was.

A.N.

Yay! Kind of a long chapter, but that's ok! Tell me how you liked it! You got a sneak peek at Lili's power! You get a gold star if you guess it right! Hehe, probably not that hard to guess… please review, please, please please with sugar and sprinkles on top! Thx! Next chapter we get foreshadowing for Lili's room! Oh yeah, pics from the story are on my profile, you know, the qipao and stuff! Ok, thanks for reading, please review! Luv u!

Kawaiia XD


	6. Chapter 6

A.N.

Hey guys! Sorry I haven't updated in sooooooo long, but these next few chapters all tie together, so I was deciding what to include from BD and what not to include. And then, right as I was going to post this chapter, my dad set up a filter for our internet and it wouldn't let me access FF!! it was horrible… also, school started and so I'm sooooooo bogged down with soooo much homework. But enough excuses, here's the next chapter, I hope you like it!

P.S. you pronounce Lili's name Lily, like the flower, except with an i instead of a y

P.S.S. only one person guessed Lili's gift! And she was actually kind of close, so I reaalllly want you guys to keep guessing because I'm not going to confirm anything until a few more chapters

Kawaiia

Chapter 6

I sighed and plopped down on thecream-colored couch in Alice and Jasper's gigantic bedroom, where I had been relocated while Esme, Alice, and Rosalie were redoing the room which was soon to be mine. It was amazing and weird how comfortable I already felt around the Cullens, how it felt like I already belonged to their family.

However, the whole family thing is probably because I'm forgetting mine. No matter how hard I try, my mother's face always comes up blurry when I reach back into the confines of my mind, to the tiny section reserved for my human memories. Only the night of the Dance was still etched into my brain, much sharper than any of my other memories.

I felt a wave of pain and loss rush over me; just thinking about it made me ache with remorse. Jasper opened the door and walked over to sit by me; just being near him made me feel calm and relaxed. (A.N. Lili doesn't know about their gifts yet, but that's coming up later in the chapter, or maybe the next one, I'm not sure…)

Alice, Rosalie, and Esme had been gone shopping since about 6 am this morning, and had dragged Emmett along to help carry bags. They had already painted my room in what Alice said was "just the most perfect color!" and now she had to find "the most perfect accessories to match." Jasper was left to keep me company, and honestly, I think he was relieved.

"Lili, what's wrong?" he asked me, his face filled with concern.

I shrugged, hoping my face looked confused, "Nothing."

He frowned slightly at me, not buying my carefully planted façade. "Okay…"

"Really, Jasper! I'm perfectly ok! I don't remember a time when I've been happier!" I paused, knowing that Jasper would probably see a different meaning in my words. "You know what, I'm going to take a walk, get some fresh air."

Jasper looked at me, torn between making sure I was alright or letting me go. "Be careful."

I smiled and nodded, hopping off the couch and dashing to the door. I loved my new family, but they were very perceptive. You would have to be better than most actresses to fool them.

I wandered across the hall to a door made of dark wood. A cross was hanging on the wall beside it. _How ironic_, I thought to myself.

I knocked softly, hoping not to disturb anyone. When there was no answer, I cracked the door open and peered inside. It was an office. I'm guessing it was Carlisle's because there were tons of books, a lot of them about medicine, covering large bookcases that spanned across two of the walls. The third wall was made entirely of glass, I was guessing, and was covered with deep green curtains. The fourth wall was covered with picture frames; some were paintings, others photos. I looked closely at one of him and Esme, right by the door. Beside it was another picture, taken on the front steps of the porch, of the entire family. Rosalie and Emmett were embracing each other, as were Alice and Jasper. Beside them was another couple, whom I could only guess was Edward and Bella, looking just as in love as the other four. And behind them, arms wrapped around each other and smiling, were Carlisle and Esme.

I smiled softly. In the picture, everyone was so happy, so in love. I had never seen anything like it. I backed out of the room, still smiling to myself, unwilling to intrude any longer. I knew Carlisle was at the hospital, working, today. Finally the sun had gone back behind the clouds.

I didn't really want to go back to Jasper just yet, though. I had only been gone for about 10 minutes. Across the hall, right under where my room was located a floor above, was another door. I knocked on that one, wondering if it was another study.

When nobody answered, I peeked inside. I gasped. It was a beautiful room with gold carpeting a shade darker than the gold paint on the walls. A big, black bed dominated one wall of the room, while another was taken up with shelves and shelves of CDs, not to mention a very expensive-looking sound system.

I wandered inside, knowing this was probably Edward's and Bella's room. The pictures hung over the bed confirmed my suspicions. I recognized the couple in the four black and white pictures as the same one from Carlisle's picture, though Carlisle's picture didn't do them justice. They were much more beautiful and detailed in these.

The first picture was of Edward kissing Bella lightly on the lips, and Bella's arms wrapped around his neck. The second was the couple sitting on a car, holding hands and laughing. The third was Edward sitting on at a piano bench with Bella beside him, looking him with love, amazement laced through her features. The final one was of them on their wedding day, Bella in Edward's arms, their lips untouching, but faces close. The look they were giving each other was one I had never seen before. It was true love and devotion, so strong I could nearly see it hovering in the air between their unmoving faces.

I don't know how long I stood there, staring at the pictures mounted on the golden wall. They made everything else in the room superfluous, somehow, not as grand. I was entranced by the love in those pictures. I wondered to myself if anyone would ever look at me that way.

"Lili?" I heard Jasper say my name, and it broke me out of my reverie.

"Coming!" I called back softly, knowing he would hear me. I hurried out of the room, back down the hall where Jasper was waiting for me. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I was told by my wife to keep you in our room so that you don't peek and see the furniture and stuff they're bringing upstairs."

I sighed, "Ok, whatever…" I walked into Alice's room once more, and once more sat on the couch. I listened as Jasper closed the door and almost immediately the others headed upstairs; they must have been waiting at the bottom. I heard as Alice, Rosalie, and Esme directed Emmett where to carry a dresser.

"No, Emmett, your other left! Watch it, don't scratch the paint!" (Rosalie)

"Ok, now you have to go up the stairs!" (Alice)

"Emmett, darling, be careful!" (Esme)

I giggled and leaned back onto the couch, relaxing. Jasper looked at me, smiling himself. "Do you mind if I go and help them?"

I shook my head, closing my eyes and sinking into a state somewhere between consciousness and sleep. I imagined myself as human girl, going to the grocery store with my mother, watching a movie with my grandmother, playing video games with my brother, my dad helping me with my homework, having sleepovers with my best friends. I say imagined because none of these memories were true. I had made them up to replace my real memories which were becoming more and more distanced each day.

"Lili! Guess what?! It's nearly finished!" Alice barged into the room, making me jump about a foot in the air.

"Oh, that's great Alice!" I said, glad that she was so excited to show me her completed project.

"Yeah, we just have to move in all the clothes, bathroom supplies, towels, rugs, oh man, I better get going! Just wanted to let you know you'll only have to wait about 2 more hours!" she flashed me a quick smile that took up half of her face and left the room, closing the door loudly.

I sighed and smiled softly to myself; I didn't know if I would ever get used to Alice or her ways. I loved her to death, of course, but sometimes I just felt bad that she was so happy and I was still sad about being a vampire; she deserved a better friend than me.

I settled back onto the couch and picked up a magazine Alice had left on the table. It was a fashion magazine; I was popular at school, but not because I had cool clothes. I had never even heard of this magazine before.

I flipped it open and studied it for the next two hours until Alice came back, absolutely glowing. "Oh my gosh, Lili, you'll love it so much! I can't wait! Eeep!"

I smiled at her, apprehensive, and followed her upstairs to my soon-to-be room.

"Here it is!" she smiled, and cast open the door.

A.N.

Sorry, that was a short chapter, but I have the next one coming before the end of the night! The next one's probably going to be a lot longer than this one, so hopefully it will make up for it! Thanks so much for reading, and please review if you have any complaints. Remember, read the last chapter and tell me what you think Lili's gift is. Thanks again! Love you!

Kawaiia


	7. Chapter 7

A.N.

Hey guys! Here's chapter 7! Longer than the last one, I hope you enjoy!

Kawaiia

Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns all recognizable vampires ,gifts, houses, plots, etc.

**Chapter 7**

_I smiled at her, apprehensive, and followed her upstairs to my soon-to-be room._

"_Here it is!" she smiled, and cast open the door._

I gasped. The room was like a room I never knew I even wanted. The walls were a light blue, like the blue of the sky. The furniture was white, a queen-sized bed taking up a corner in the right side of the room. The duvet was purple and fluffy, looking comfortable to sink in to. There was a white loveseat in front of the window, which had curtains, but the curtains were pulled back to show the amazing view of the river and forest below. There was a small bookcase filled with books I knew I would love. I walked over to a desk on the left with a laptop on it.

"So you can continue your studies," Esme said, giving me a small hug. I could feel the tears in my eyes again, threatening to spill over, but never managing it.

"Thank you," I whispered. They had no clue how much this meant to me. As soon as Esme let go, Alice ran up and grabbed my hand, pulling me away to show me different aspects of the room like the IPod she had filled with music.

"And wait until you see the closet!" she exclaimed. I was a little unsure of what to expect because Alice was practically bouncing off the walls.

"Okay, okay!" I laughed. She opened the closet door and led me inside. There was a dresser to one side, which was no doubt filled to the brim, but besides that, all of the walls were covered with racks and racks of clothes. I grinned, it was just so Alice.

"Alice, honestly, how do you expect me to choose from all of this in the morning? It will take me hours!" I exclaimed, laughing as Alice rolled her eyes at me.

She showed me about thirty pairs of shoes, too, a lot of them looking a little dangerous because of the high heel. "Now, I'm going to trust you to dress yourself for now, it seems as though you have better fashion taste than Bella did when she first arrived…" Alice said, as she shuddered.

"I'm honored," I said, a smile lighting my face once more. I didn't know if there had ever been a time when I had felt so happy, so _at home._

Once more, she led me out of the closet, but into the bathroom. She showed me the cabinets under the sink had been filled with all sorts of hair products, makeup, nail polish, soap, bubbles, everything!

"So, do you like it?" Alice asked, looking at me full in the face, her eyes hopeful.

"Oh, Alice, I've never seen such a beautiful room in my entire life!" I said, and threw my arms around her. She hugged me back, but then left saying that she had barely seen Jasper in the past few days, and needed to catch up.

I flopped down onto my bed with Pride and Prejudice and began to read. I knew it had been one of my favorite books as a human, but the story line was a bit murky in my memory. And that's how I stayed for the next three hours, my mind in another world completely. I was shaken into reality by a soft knock on my door.

Rosalie poked her head in and said, "Lili, we're all going to go hunting and were wondering if you would like to join us?" I nodded my head, setting my book down carefully so as not to lose my place. I had been hunting as often as possible because the Cullen's said that the more I drank from animals, the sooner my eyes would change from burgundy to topaz. I couldn't wait.

When we got to the forest, everyone went their separate ways. Emmett and Jasper went to find some grizzlies while Alice, Rose, Esme, and I just fed from deer.

Alice was helping me bury my deer under a tree when she froze. Her eyes glazed over and she got a distant look on her face.

"Alice? Alice?" I asked, waving my hand in front of her eyes. "Esme? Rosalie?" I called. I was so confused, what was happening?

Esme came up behind me just as Alice snapped back to life. She looked at me with a big smile on her face, "Bella and Edward are coming to visit!"

I blinked. "Alice, are you ok?"

"Yeah, why?" she asked me, looking confused.

"You just kind of went into your own little world there, I couldn't get your attention, so I called for Esme…" I started, but was cut off by Alice laughing.

"Of course! I'm so sorry! I totally forgot about that!" she turned to Esme and Rose. "I didn't tell her about our gifts!"

A look of comprehension flickered across each of their faces. I was so confused, what were they talking about?

"Ok, ok, sorry, I'm ready." Alice said, pulling me down to sit by her on the ground. "Ok, so when a human is turned into a vampire, one of their strongest traits is also brought with them, but it's enhanced, just like their body."

I nodded, eager for her to continue.

"So, when I was human, I had visions of the future, just flickers, but enough to get me locked up in an asylum. When I became a vampire, those visions became clearer."

"So you can see the future?" I asked. Not only a vampire, but a vampire that can see the future! How cool would that be?

Alice nodded, "But only based on a person's decision at that very moment. Once someone changes their mind, the future shifts."

I nodded slowly, letting this new information sink into my brain. "So when you froze up back there, you were having a vision?"

"Yup!" Alice said, the smile returning to her face. "Edward and Bella are planning a surprise visit this Friday, and they're staying for the whole weekend!"

Esme smiled, happy that her son was coming home, but Rosalie just sat there, unmoving.

"Does anyone else see the future?" I asked, still curious about the whole concept of special gifts.

"Well, no, but Jasper can control people's emotions. We think he had a strong influence on people when he was human. Oh, and Edward can read people's minds, and Emmett's really strong, and Rosalie is really pretty, and Esme can love like a mother, and Carlisle has more compassion than the rest of us!" Alice said all of this really fast, but I caught every word.

"And Bella can produce a shield to protect people from others gifts," Alice concluded. I nodded, I was still a little confused, but by the eagerness in Alice's eyes, I knew she just wanted to go home. However, I still had one very important question.

"Do I have a gift?"

"I don't know yet, it usually takes its time to reveal itself completely. And you don't always have a physical gift, like Carlisle's compassion." Alice explained.

I nodded, and followed suit when she stood up. As we ran back to the house, I wondered to myself what my gift could be. It couldn't be anything like beauty, not when I've seen Rosalie. And I didn't have big muscles like Emmett. I really wanted a cool gift, one that was unique, like Alice telling the future.

_I'll think about it later_, I thought to myself because Alice was going on and on about how excited she was that her best friend and sister was coming home in only four short days. I was more nervous than excited, anxious for the last two members of my new family to accept me as completely as the rest had.

For the rest of the four days before Edward and Bella came, I helped Esme clean the house. Alice was so excited, she asked me to help her plan a surprise for Bella when she came. From what Alice described to me, Bella would like it, but only after it had started; she would put up a big fight, but we would have to stand our ground.

Finally Friday came rolling around, and I was more anxious than ever. We all waited restlessly in the living room, sitting on the large white couches that surrounded the tv that was on, but no one was watching it.

I tensed as I heard a car driving quickly up the driveway, coming closer and closer to the house. Alice squealed and quickly jumped out of her seat and out of the front door.

I heard as Alice collided with someone, I'm guessing Bella, and heard her talking quickly in a tinkling of bells. Emmett and Jasper rushed towards the door as well, not as quickly as Alice, but eager to see the rest of their family.

Rosalie walked with me behind Carlisle and Esme. "Don't worry, they'll love you!" she said, giving me a squeeze and trying to lift my spirits.

When we walked outside, it was a funny sight. Alice was hugging Bella who was standing outside of the car with the door still open. Emmett was trying to pry Alice off of Bella so he could have a turn giving his sister a hug. Jasper sat there, laughing at Emmett, and greeting Edward with a punch on the shoulder. Edward just looked at the other four, pinching his nose in what was an obviously irritated mood.

"Oh, come on Edward! You got her for the past month! I haven't seen Bella since Christmas!" Alice exclaimed, hugging tighter to Bella who looked surprised, and stuck her tongue out at Emmett, who was still trying to give Bella a proper hug.

Edward sighed. All of a sudden he froze and turned to look at me. I was stunned. The pictures didn't do him justice. He looked like a Greek god with his tall figure, bronze hair, and liquid topaz eyes. He smiled at me, a small smile, and walked over to where Rosalie, Carlisle, Esme, and I were standing, watching the others fight.

"You must be Lili," he said in a velvet voice. I nodded, still too nervous for words. "It's nice to meet you. I hear you fit right in with this crazy family." He smiled at me and nodded, and moved on to greet his parents. I didn't miss the fact that he skipped over Rosalie.

"Maybe we should help Jasper break up the fight?" Rosalie suggested, nodding her head towards where Emmett was trying to pick up Bella, but Alice kept hanging on. I smiled a little, following her.

"Emmett, calm down! You too, Alice! I'm sure there will be plenty of time to hug Bella for the rest of the weekend," Rosalie said, going up to her husband to save Bella.

I felt a wave of calm wash over me, and looked to Jasper. I hadn't forgotten what Alice had said about his gift. He smiled at me innocently as Alice finally detached herself from Bella and went over to take my arm.

"Bella, this is Lili!" she said. I looked up to see Bella properly for the first time. She had chocolate brown hair that flowed in waves down to the middle of her back. Her eyes were the same topaz as the rest of 

the Cullen's. She was beautiful, there was no doubt about it, but it wasn't the same drop-dead-gorgeous that defined Rosalie. Hers was softer, somehow, more natural.

"Hi," she said, and smiled at me. However, I could see the shock plain in her eyes. I was obviously nothing like she had expected.

"Hi," I replied, my eyes now trained on the ground.

"Enough introductions! Bella, we have a surprise for you! It's in my room!" Alice said, and grabbed Bella's hand, dragging her inside before she could object.

"Alice, wait! Edward!" she called, looking back. Her eyes met her husband's with clear longing in them. He smiled at her, a beautiful crooked smile, and shook his head. (A.N. no, Lili isn't crushing on Edward, he just has that Edward effect, you know?)

"Sorry, love, even I can't stop Alice when she gets this excited."

I followed Alice, Bella, and Rosalie upstairs to Alice's room. We had spent all day yesterday changing Alice's room into the perfect spa/movie theater . We were going to have girl's night, no boys allowed. I could tell by the resigned look in Bella's eyes as she took in the sight before her that she had been through these before. I giggled quietly to myself, waiting for the fun to begin.

A.N.

Jolione, the winner who guessed Lili's gift! It will become more apparent in the next chapter, it's going to be one of my more exciting ones. I know that this chapter was pretty fast, and I explained the gifts really fast, but I didn't want to waste time boring you guys when you knew it all already. I just had to put it out there for Lili… there are new pics on my account, so look there if you want to see Lili's room, and I also got another cool pic of a possible Lili! So have a great day, and I'll update again soon!

Kawaiia


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